Iowa

[MNLonghorn10]

All of that, again, is great but NDSU is still doing it in the FCS, good wins in FCS don't even compare to decent wins in the FBS. The fact that you people don't understand the severity of the talent gap between the divisions is truly mind blowing.

We do understand the talent gap...which is why NDSU is like 75-5 since 2011 and constantly in the top 35 overall in the entire country.

[thebootfitter]

All of that, again, is great but NDSU is still doing it in the FCS, good wins in FCS don't even compare to decent wins in the FBS. The fact that you people don't understand the severity of the talent gap between the divisions is truly mind blowing.

Are you serious, Clark?

I used to think you were one of the more reasonable Iowa fans. Now I know you are delusional.

[GreenfieldBison]

All of that, again, is great but NDSU is still doing it in the FCS, good wins in FCS don't even compare to decent wins in the FBS. The fact that you people don't understand the severity of the talent gap between the divisions is truly mind blowing.

Well please excuse us. Understand we're not from Missouri but over time we have developed a little bit of a "Show me" attitude. We'll just see how "severe" that talent gap is on the 17th. I sure hope your team has that same thought in the back of their minds. That will get them beat.

Oh and, someone help me out here, didn't we just graduate four or five guys who are at present in an NFL camp? Just imagine if we actually had 85 full rides!

[tony]

Are you serious, Clark?

I used to think you were one of the more reasonable Iowa fans. Now I know you are delusional.

I know, right? Is the talent gap between Iowa and NDSU anything like the talent gap between Jacksonville State and Auburn?

The problem that Iowa presents is that they've got a wining program's attitude. Other than Kansas State and some of the G5 schools that NDSU spanked, the FBS schools NDSU has beaten haven't had that kind of tradition. Moreover, Iowa is stout on defense/OL - I'd much rather play one of those Big 12 offensive juggernauts like Texas Tech than a complete, fundamentally-sound team like Iowa, but, unfortunately, P5 teams aren't exactly lining up to schedule NDSU (I'm looking at you, Arkansas.)

[BisonFanAnn]

But you're not going to mention that NDSU lost twice to fellow minor-league FCS programs? You want to talk about how Iowa beat a fellow FBS team by only 5, but want to ignore how NDSU lost to 2 FCS teams... Well done...

Yep, the Bison lost to Montana in the season opener, with a new defense. The defense managed to get better every single game throughout the season and playoffs, right up to the National Championship. While it was a heartbreaking loss for the Bison, there's no shame in losing a close game to a team that goes on to make the playoffs, when you learn from the experience and go on to improve dramatically.

And USD beat the Bison mid-season, the week after a grueling game against UNI. Carson Wentz broke his wrist during the second drive of the game, but continued to play. The losses - both of the game (that we should have won) and of our NFL-caliber QB - served as a wake-up call to the team, and we all know how the rest of the season (and post-season) went.

[Christopher Moen]

All of the FBS teams the Bison have played SHOULD have been better than the Bison, regardless of how good they are relative to other FBS teams. Yet the Bison have shown many times over that the supposed advantages of being an FBS team don't really matter against the Bison on the field.

As to whether the Bison have actually won against any FBS team that is actually "good," I guess you need to define what you mean by "good." It's such a relative, subjective term. Have the Bison ever actually won against a team in the AP top 25? Nope. Have the Bison ever been scheduled against a team in the top 25? Not until this year. It will be exciting to see how it plays out.

Is it really that far fetched to believe that the Bison could beat Iowa? Only if you're a delusional Iowa homer or know nothing about college football. There are many examples of FCS teams (or even extend that to "lower quality" FBS teams) that end up either winning or playing a very close game against a foe in the top 25 who SHOULD have all the advantages and easily pull out the win.

Is Iowa in 2015 clearly better than #13 Virginia Tech in 2010 when lowly JMU of the CAA conference beat them? Is Iowa clearly better than the 2007 Michigan team that lost to lowly Appalachian State? Time will tell. I am pretty certain, however, that the 2015 NDSU team is better than either of those FCS teams that upset the ranked FBS teams.

Was Central Michigan in 2007 "good"? Relative to all FBS teams, they were maybe only a bit better than average. They won their conference with a record of 7-1, but they don't play in a P5 conference, so maybe not all that impressive. Still... they were a decent FBS team who lost to a B1G team by 3 points in a bowl game.

Was Kansas State in 2013 "good"? Relative to all FBS teams, they were better than average by at least a few measures. Their FBS record was 7-5 with 2-3 relatively close losses to ranked FBS teams. They finished the season at #23 according to Sagarin's ratings, with the 34th most difficult schedule in college football.

The Bison can only beat the team that is on the field with them. This is the first time the Bison have the opportunity to beat a ranked team. Given that it has been done before by other teams, given that the Bison have beat other teams they shouldn't have on paper, and given that the Bison are an extremely physical and well-coached football team, I think there are only a handful of teams in college football each year that they couldn't beat. I don't think Iowa falls in that category this year.

All that being said... I still expect Iowa to win. They should win. They probably will win. But to think the Bison don't have a chance, you have to be either ignorant, stupid or delusional. (Not saying YOU don't believe they have a chance...)

Central Michigan wasn't great but at least decent. Let's not forget they had the 2016 #3 and #4 ranked NFL players on their team that year.

[IzzyFlexion]

Shhhhhiiiiiit!!!!!

Why didn't coach tell us
that this gap is so
damn huge!!!

[wagsabison]

Well Im glad you can admit that part.

Yes, NDSU lost on two last second plays to two inferior opponents, one they went on to kill in the playoffs later on in the season.. Iowa got their ass kicked and lost a heart breaker to Sparty.

I just think your "you have no shot", and "itll be a rough day for you Sept 17th" shit, is what makes this thread terrible. All over a game where you're only favored by 12(2 pts for a home game). Fuck I know i wouldn't be on opposing boards guaranteeing victories if those were my odds, and I certainly wouldn't be the farm like your words on this board say you have no problem doing.

Spare me the tired "iowa won't overlook NDSU" line because we know you arent on the team so don't speak for them.

There will be plenty of Iowa players that don't take NDSU serious despite what they are being told by coaches and their AD. They are a Big ten team after all...

[Christopher Moen]

Well, that's probably very true. You FBS guys are always so impressively right all the time. That's what I like about you.

Still...........as "poorly as we might have played, Montana and South Dakota got those victories last year on the very last play of each game.

As for Iowa, on the other hand, I was thinking that somehow (I know, right ) just because the ass-kicking by Stanford was so complete, thorough and utterly effing embarrassing.................I mean, we're talking big boy vs. little girl on the school playground type of ass-kicking..................................that maybe Stanford might just think ......................

Well, we shouldn't really speculate here, because even if Iowa beats NDSU handily......................there's no way the rest of the country is going to think any better of the beating Stanford put on you in front of millions.

That game didn't bother me about the strength of the Big 10 as much as Michigan State's total destruction by the hands of Alabama. Iowa's lost to Stanford could have been blamed as a let-down lost due to them losing to Michigan State in the Big 10 Championships. However, when the team that won that game goes on to the College Football Playoffs and loses just as bad as Iowa did to Stanford tells me that the Big 10, regardless of the subconference, was just plain out terrible last year among the Power Five conferences.

[Bison Loaf]

That game didn't bother me about the strength of the Big 10 as much as Michigan State's total destruction by the hands of Alabama. Iowa's lost to Stanford could have been blamed as a let-down lost due to them losing to Michigan State in the Big 10 Championships. However, when the team that won that game goes on to the College Football Playoffs and loses just as bad as Iowa did to Stanford tells me that the Big 10, regardless of the subconference, was just plain out terrible last year among the Power Five conferences.

As usual, I agree with you, CM.........except for those times that I don't. I'm even starting to wonder if there's not a huge talent gap the other way.

The truth is, here's what Iowa fans have to look forward to: Your team screwed the pooch when it counted, and......... in the case of Stanford......... in a big, embarrassing way in front of millions of people in the granddaddy of all Bowl Games. Like it or not, THAT is your legacy until your team does something positive, when it counts, to avenge it. Oh, and here's the good part..........NOTHING that happens in your game against NDSU will EVER change that dynamic for the positive (we're FCS, remember), but can only enhance your negatives.

NDSU, on the other hand, hasn't a thing to lose. Sweet dreams, boys.